Comments on: The Origin of Words You Hear A Lot in the Office http://www.neatorama.com/2008/05/15/the-origin-of-words-you-hear-a-lot-in-the-office/ The Neat Side of the Web Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:37:35 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Dan http://www.neatorama.com/2008/05/15/the-origin-of-words-you-hear-a-lot-in-the-office/comment-page-1/#comment-553932 Dan Fri, 16 May 2008 08:27:32 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/?p=16286#comment-553932 You don't "hoist a mast" -- you hoist a SAIL. The mast is the big pole that the sails go up and down on. (Easy there big fella!! It's a nautical term!) :-) You don't "hoist a mast" -- you hoist a SAIL. The mast is the big pole that the sails go up and down on. (Easy there big fella!! It's a nautical term!) :-)

]]> By: Topher http://www.neatorama.com/2008/05/15/the-origin-of-words-you-hear-a-lot-in-the-office/comment-page-1/#comment-553858 Topher Fri, 16 May 2008 06:39:00 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/?p=16286#comment-553858 "Boot", as in "boot up your computer" or "reboot". Riding boots used to (and still do, AFAIK) have "bootstraps" formed into loops at the tops of the boots, for pulling the boots on. Someone who improves their lot in life with no outside help is said to have "pulled himself up by his bootstraps" -- a form of levitation, as it were. Early computers had very minimal programs stored in ROM or even entered by hand via switches (yes, I did this in the 70s) that would then load a larger program from disk or tape, which would load the operating system. These "boot" programs allowed the computer to bring itself up, with the least possible support from any other resource. "Boot", as in "boot up your computer" or "reboot". Riding boots used to (and still do, AFAIK) have "bootstraps" formed into loops at the tops of the boots, for pulling the boots on. Someone who improves their lot in life with no outside help is said to have "pulled himself up by his bootstraps" -- a form of levitation, as it were. Early computers had very minimal programs stored in ROM or even entered by hand via switches (yes, I did this in the 70s) that would then load a larger program from disk or tape, which would load the operating system. These "boot" programs allowed the computer to bring itself up, with the least possible support from any other resource.

]]> By: Archbob http://www.neatorama.com/2008/05/15/the-origin-of-words-you-hear-a-lot-in-the-office/comment-page-1/#comment-553813 Archbob Fri, 16 May 2008 05:33:12 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/?p=16286#comment-553813 Its good to know where some of these oft-heard words come from. Its good to know where some of these oft-heard words come from.

]]> By: Jimbo http://www.neatorama.com/2008/05/15/the-origin-of-words-you-hear-a-lot-in-the-office/comment-page-1/#comment-553359 Jimbo Thu, 15 May 2008 19:24:47 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/?p=16286#comment-553359 The word "Crossed" comes from long ago, (don't remember date, sometime after 300AD) but the early Catholic church started selling splinters that supposedly came from the cross. The word "Crossed" means to be done wrong. The word "Double Crossed" is when someone is done double wronged. Such as deceptively selling them a splinter of wood, saying it was from the cross, and charging them an extra high price for it. The word "Crossed" comes from long ago, (don't remember date, sometime after 300AD) but the early Catholic church started selling splinters that supposedly came from the cross. The word "Crossed" means to be done wrong.

The word "Double Crossed" is when someone is done double wronged. Such as deceptively selling them a splinter of wood, saying it was from the cross, and charging them an extra high price for it.

]]> By: Thomas http://www.neatorama.com/2008/05/15/the-origin-of-words-you-hear-a-lot-in-the-office/comment-page-1/#comment-553203 Thomas Thu, 15 May 2008 15:55:52 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/?p=16286#comment-553203 Mmm... you managed to make corporate drudgery even more depressing. Mmm... you managed to make corporate drudgery even more depressing.

]]> By: bean http://www.neatorama.com/2008/05/15/the-origin-of-words-you-hear-a-lot-in-the-office/comment-page-1/#comment-553076 bean Thu, 15 May 2008 13:24:56 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/?p=16286#comment-553076 This is only slightly related to this post, but I love how many random American words were coopted from Dutch. It ranges anywhere from baas, mentioned above, to koekje for cookie, to hoeker for hooker (literally, person on the corner). This is only slightly related to this post, but I love how many random American words were coopted from Dutch. It ranges anywhere from baas, mentioned above, to koekje for cookie, to hoeker for hooker (literally, person on the corner).

]]> By: BikerRay http://www.neatorama.com/2008/05/15/the-origin-of-words-you-hear-a-lot-in-the-office/comment-page-1/#comment-552871 BikerRay Thu, 15 May 2008 10:36:46 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/?p=16286#comment-552871 You can hoist the right sail - only Superman can hoist a mast. You can hoist the right sail - only Superman can hoist a mast.

]]> By: MoonCake http://www.neatorama.com/2008/05/15/the-origin-of-words-you-hear-a-lot-in-the-office/comment-page-1/#comment-552809 MoonCake Thu, 15 May 2008 09:23:04 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/?p=16286#comment-552809 i hate the word "teamwork." it sounds more like "pulling teeth" to me... i hate the word "teamwork." it sounds more like "pulling teeth" to me...

]]> By: Reechard http://www.neatorama.com/2008/05/15/the-origin-of-words-you-hear-a-lot-in-the-office/comment-page-1/#comment-552783 Reechard Thu, 15 May 2008 08:47:46 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/?p=16286#comment-552783 neato, I love etymology. I had read this book about South Africa (The Power of One) where all the indigenous people addressed the occupiers with "baas." I had no idea it meant master. neato, I love etymology. I had read this book about South Africa (The Power of One) where all the indigenous people addressed the occupiers with "baas." I had no idea it meant master.

]]> By: Mal http://www.neatorama.com/2008/05/15/the-origin-of-words-you-hear-a-lot-in-the-office/comment-page-1/#comment-552773 Mal Thu, 15 May 2008 08:27:48 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/?p=16286#comment-552773 I remember reading in another book, think it was called something like "shaggy dogs and black sheep", and it said getting fired was from back in the day if a miner was caught stealing from the mine, the boss (or the master, thank you very much) would take the workers tools and throw them in the furnace (ie, firing them) as punishment. I remember reading in another book, think it was called something like "shaggy dogs and black sheep", and it said getting fired was from back in the day if a miner was caught stealing from the mine, the boss (or the master, thank you very much) would take the workers tools and throw them in the furnace (ie, firing them) as punishment.

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